Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 25 2010:
Holding the CRPF responsible for a bomb blast that killed five boys at a firing range in Imphal East in 2003, the Gauhati High Court has asked the Centre as well as the CRPF to pay Rs 3 lakhs each as compensation to the bereaved family members.
The victimsL Romeo Singh, S Jiten Singh, L Lampu Singh , L Sunil Singh and L Babu were collecting firewood near the firing range of Manipur Police Training School (MPTS) at Pangei close to their village at Waiton in the evening of March 24, 2003 when the bomb suddenly exploded.
While four of them died on the spot, the other succumbed to his injuries at the hospital, said Advocate B Surendra Sharma, who appeared on behalf of the petitioners who are parents and guardians of the deceased kids all below 15 years.
Though the verdict was passed on August 17, its copy was made available to the media only today.
The Centre represented by the Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs and the Commandant of 74 CRPF contended that they are not responsible for the death of the five kids though they admitted that on the fateful day personnel of the force used the firing range.
After the practice, the area was thoroughly searched according to laid down norms and all the live munitions were destroyed using demolition set, the by range officer.
After this sanitisation exercise the CRPF left the the spot at around 4.30pm, contended the advocate appearing on behalf of the Central forces.
To ascertain the veracity of the incident, the High Court had ordered District and Sessions Judge to initiate an inquiry, Manipur East, after which the latter ruled that "the five boys died in a bomb blast and that 74 Bn CRPF was responsible for the said blast" .
After going through the probe report as well as the submissions of both parties, the High Court headed by Justice Mutum BK Singh, in his Imphal bench sitting, said it was quite possible that they (CRPF) might have left an unexploded ammunition at the place of occurrence unwittingly.
"Considering the economic condition and other attending circumstances pleaded in the writ petitions, a sum of Rs 3 lakhs is fixed as an amount for compensation for the death of the minor children," said the Court while directing the Secretary of MHA and Commandant 74 CRPF to pay the amount to each of the five petitioners as compensations.
The amount should be paid within three months counting from August 17, 2010 failing which they should pay interest of 6 percent per annum till the actual payment is made.
The State represented by the Home Secretary, Deputy Commissioner (Imphal East) and the Principal, MPTS are also listed as respondents in the five writ petitions.